Page 122 of An Engagement for Erica

“That’s possible,” she said. “You don’t know anything else about Kristi?”

“No,” he said. “Michael did call to tell me that they were trying to look into her, but the name is pretty common and they hadn’t gotten far. I doubt she has employment records. Maybe they should check for arrest reports.”

“It’s not funny,” she said.

“All I can do is laugh,” he said, shaking his head. “Then I wonder how many times things like this have happened that I never knew about and my grandfather had to deal with it. I’m surprised he hadn’t had more health issues.”

“Your grandfather is strong and you know it. You said he looks better every time you see him.”

“Looks can be deceiving.”

“I’ve never known you to be negative like this,” she said. “Come here.”

He moved closer to her where she was fixing dinner in the kitchen. She was staying the night and she had never seen him so unsure of himself before.

She put her arms around him and hugged him. He held on tighter than normal.

“I needed this,” he said. “I guess I didn’t realize how much I did.”

“Tucker, I know you didn’t have that great of a relationship with your father.”

“No relationship,” he corrected. “I hated him.”

She wasn’t so sure you could fully hate a parent.

Not that she had anything to compare it to that he experienced.

As much as her mother annoyed and frustrated her, she didn’t think she’d ever use the word hate.

But she could easily walk away from her mother for long periods of time with little to no communication and not feel guilty about it.

“And you have your reasons. But I wonder if you never fully grieved him.”

Tucker leaned back. “Erica. There isn’t much to grieve. He made my life hell when I was a kid. When I moved out, he didn’t see me much and I was relieved. I spent my time with my grandfather and my biggest concern was him and him only.”

“Just like now,” she said. “I know.”

“If anything, I’m more pissed off that from the grave my father is still wreaking havoc in our lives.”

“You could still grieve losing the parent that you would have liked to have in your life. With his passing, there is no chance of that happening.”

“I appreciate what you’re trying to do and say, Erica. But no. I’m not grieving anything other than the life I had to change to come here because of him.”

She frowned. “I hadn’t realized how unhappy you are here.”

He sighed when she moved out of his arms, but he pulled her back. “That came out wrong. I’m twisted up inside on a lot of things, but it’s not grief. I’m just pointing out that if I was going to grieve anything, it would have been that. But since I’ve got you in my life again, I’m rejoicing. Is that better?”

She snorted over his words. “Better, but you still said it.”

“Don’t put it on me that my words at the moment upset you. I don’t know that I can take another knock right now. And this is me just opening up with you and not holding it in like I’ve done so much in my life.”

She had to believe that meant more than anything.

That he trusted her enough to be this raw and vulnerable.

“Let’s go to your room and I’m going to give you a massage,” she said. “You’ll feel better. It might not be a good one, but you need it.”

“What about dinner?”

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